Experience a blast from the past this holiday season with classic vintage Christmas light advertisements. Re-discover the nostalgia of holidays past and explore creative advertising from the 1940s to the 1960s. Find your favorite and re-ignite the festive holiday spirit.

Vintage Christmas Light ad for lights for the Christmas Tree from Edison - Edison Miniature Lamps.

Vintage Christmas Light Advertising 1940s-1960s

“A Glorious Tree = A Merrier Christmas”. 1940s vintage ad from the Wester Auto Associate Store.

1940s vintage ad for Colorful Christmas light for sale at Western Auto Associate Store.

Source: Pinterest

“4 Bright GE Ways to Say “Merry Christmas””. 1947 ad for various styles of Christmas lights for your home.

1940s vintage Christmas Ad from 1947 for GE Lamps Christmas Lights in 4 different styles.

Source: Pinterest

Bubble-Lites! This is a Christmas tree decoration that holds a big place in my heart.

I have an early childhood memory of sitting in front of my parents tree and watching those lights bubble and light up. Gosh they made me so happy!

Did you have Bubble-Lites?

1940s vintage ad for Noma Bubble-Lites from 1947 featuring an illustration of a child dressed up like santa and all the bubble lites you can buy for your Christmas Tree

Source: Envisioningtheamericandream.com

“How to make your house say Merry Christmas with Light”. 1951 General Electric ad.

1950s vintage ad for General Electric Christmas lights from 1951 featuring images of homes with Christmas Lights on it.

Source: Pinterest

“New Christmas bulb won’t chip or peel!”. Westinghouse Christmas Lights ad as seen in a LIFE Magazine, Dec 1, 1952.

Source: Pinterest

So many different Noma lights to fill your home with, this holiday season. 1950s “Noma Safety Fuse Plugs Sets-3 times as safe!” vintage ad.

Vintage Noma Christmas lights magazine ad from the 1950s.

Source: Pinterest

“Make your doorway smile a holiday welcome with New G-E Christmas Lamps!”. 1954 vintage ad.

This was the year GE introduced the ceramic coloring process for their C7 Christmas Lamps (Source).

1950s vintage chistmas advertisement: "Make your doorway smile a holiday welcome with New G-E Christmas Lamps!". 1954 ad featuring images of houses with doors decorated with lights.

Source: Pinterest

1963 Ad. I like the little mid century man illustration to showcase how easy it is to put up the lights.

1960s vintage ad: 1963 GE Christmas Lights Ad featuring a mid century illustration of a man putting up the lights on his tree.

Source: Pinterest

1950s vintage catalog for Norma Christmas lights from 1959 featuring “midget lites” (small lights some with flowers like poinsetta).

See inside the whole catalog

Source: Flickr

Here is another GE ad but this time from 1964. “This year get the ALL General Electric Christmas Light Set. Last longer, looks better, makes decorating easier!”

1960s vintage Christmas ad for General Electric Christmas Lights from 1964.

Source: Reddit

“Brightly lighted lawn pieces you can see for a block”. Light up santas, snownmen and more as seen in a 1968 Sears Wishbook catalog.

Further Reading: A Look Inside A 1957 Sears Christmas Book

"Brightly lighted lawn pieces you can see for a block". Lite up Santas, snownmen and more as seen in a 1968 Sears Wishbook catalog.

Source: Pinterest

I hope you enjoyed this fun collection of vintage Christmas light ads (they were so colorful!). Please share in the comment section, what your favourite was, or anything you wish to chat about regarding this topic. I love hearing from my readers.

Further Reading:

Vintage Christmas 1920s-1960s blog posts (Archived)
Vintage Advertising 1920s-1960s (Archived posts)

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz

I love hte Sears Christmas Books / Wish Books. They bring back so many memories of laying on the floor at my Omi’s house and circling all the toys I wanted. So much fun!

Now for my last post before Christmas, I wanted to take another look into those vintage catalog’s with a peak at a ‘1957 Sears Christmas Book’. It’s going to be a pretty big one as there are LOTS of goodies in this book.

BTW..here is my original post which you should take a look at after this one: Merry Christmas! Inside look at a 1952 Sears Christmas Book.

Enjoy!

Note: All the images are from ‘WishbookWeb.com‘

1957 Sears Christmas Book featuring a little girl holding a teddy bear on the cover. 1950s vintage catalog.

Look Inside A 1957 Sears Christmas Book

“You’ll have a real old fashioned frolic this Christmas if you outfit one and all in gay new CANDY CANE RED pajamas and nightcaps.”

Families who wear the silliest pajamas, stay together. HA!

1950s Vintage Catalog, a 1957 Sears Christmas Book featuring a family in Candy Cane Red pajamas meeting with Santa.

“Make this a SILVERTONE Christmas with the finest year-round entertainement for all the family.” Transistor pocket radio, portable TV, phonograph with records.

1950s christmas catalog from Sears 1957 Christmas Book showcasing a catalog page for Silvertone entertainment items like tvs and record players

For Her….

“Gifts that say You’re Glamorous.” Look at that stunning 1950s evening gown on our featured lady..WOW! Beautiful.

1950s vintage catalog. A 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring a woman in a 1950s evening gown surrounded by glamorus gifts for woman like gloves and jewelry

15 Gift Ideas….

Leather topper length jacket
Tab-pocket faille skirt
Capeskin motor jacket
Hand-detailed blouses (2 different styles)
Flannel skirt
Wool Tryolean jacket
Cashmere look jacket
Velveteen skirt
Cotton knit pullover
Cotton knit pants
Pure wool plaid jacket
Pure wool skirt
Cotton knit blouses (with a poodle print!)
Pima cotton broadcloth skirts

1950s vintage catalog. A 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring a collection of 1950s fashion ideas for woman you could gift at Christmas time.

Lovely 1950s aprons for the hostess with the mostest. Aren’t they darling?! The second one from the left is divine.

1950s vintage catalog. A 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring pretty 1950s aprons you could purchase for the 1950s housewife

Women’s housecoats, pajamas and two piece leisurewear. What one do you like?

1950s christmas catalog from Sears 1957 Christmas Book showcasing a catalog page 1950s women's housecoats and pajamas and two piece leisurewear

“Electrical gifts pamper her with practical luxuries.” “Give her a “vibrator (massagers) or Hair Dryer..a gift she wouldn’t buy for herself.” “She’ll use these lightweight Kenmore Vibrators every day. ”

1950s vintage catalog a 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring hair dryers and electrical massages machines for women's Christmas presents.

This page is FUN! “Lyric Human Hair Pin-In Streaks” for woman. How cool is that?

1950s vintage catalog. A 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring hair accessories for womens hair and items for your dresser-1950s Women's hairstyle inspirations

For the man in your life….

“The new Knit look smartest for his leisure time.” A page filled with gifts ideas for that man in your life (I’m a big fan of the fleece lined cotton pullover).

1950s vintage catalog, a 1957 Sears Christmas book page featuring knitwear items for Men. 1950s fashion inspiration.

Boxed Gift Sets. “Men go for go-together leisure wear.” The “Ivy Style Threesome in Don River Flannel” feels like a good gift for my father-in-law.

1950s vintage catalog, a 1957 Sears Christmas book page featuring boxed gift set ideas for men. 1950s clothing (shirts, hats, ties) and items like pipes and belts.

“Like Father Like Son.” Gifts to match your father including matching flannel shirts and don’t forget the cufflink Colts (gosh the 1950s could get odd sometimes).

1950s vintage catalog, a 1957 Sears Christmas book page featuring matching clothing for father and son.

“He’ll be the smoothest Santa in Town….” Sweaters, shirts and pullovers for men.

1950s fashions for men as seen in a 1950s Sears Christmas Book (1957 Sears Christmas book) featuring pullovers and sweaters for men. 1950s fashions

“Make his an Ivy Christmas”

1950s fashions for men as seen in a 1957s Sears Christmas Book featuring pants, tops and coats for men.

For the Children & Teens…

Watches for kids including a set from Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

1950s vintage catalog. A 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring watches for kids and a set of watches from Roy Rogers and Dale Evans

Next to watches, kids adore slippers as Christmas presents (joke!). They are so cute though (especially the Frosty the Snowman pair)!

1950s vintage catalog a 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring childrens slippers including Roy Rogers bedtime boots and mocs.

Girls’ Saucy Separates and a Calypso Christmas holiday bonus. “FREE…a favorite Calypso record is yours when you buy this vibrant Calypso-inspired Swing Skirt.”

1950s vintage catalog. A 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring young girls 1950s fashions skirts and tops

“Give Kerry-Teen Fashions sure to please a smart sub-teen.” Cute sweaters, pants and coats.

1950s christmas catalog from Sears 1957 Christmas Book showcasing a catalog page for 1950s teen girls fashion

“New Man-style Knitwear.” I think all the colours and patterns are so lovely.

1950s vintage catalog. A 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring 1950s fashions for young men -1950s knitwear

Toy Time!

“Sears Toyland proudly presents…Over 1000 Toys from Santa’s Workshop.” Toys like ‘Sweet Sue Walking Dolls’.

1950s vintage catalog. A 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring 1950s toys for 1950s kids. This page features "Sweet Sue Walking Dolls" in cute 1950s fashions and a 1950s wedding dress.

“Children’s Electric Phonographs”

A record player and record stands for kids as seen in a 1957 Sears Christmas Book

Camera’s and even a 3-dimensional viewer for the budding photographer (not a View-Master, that is the next catalog page).

1950s vintage catalog. A 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring 1950s toys for 1950s kids. This page features Camera's, 3-D View Finder, Safes, cash register and puppets.

“See the world…with View-Master!” “Your passport to adventure…in dashing, full-color 3-D.”

1950s vintage catalog. A 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring a View-Master....in full-color 3-D.

“Toys for little girls that teach her grooming too…Sew for Dolly!”

1950s vintage catalog. A 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring 1950s toys like a sewing machine for little girls.

Christmas Decor…

Fun Christmas ornaments and decorations.

1950s christmas catalog from Sears 1957 Christmas Book showcasing a catalog page of 1950s Christmas Ornaments and decorations

Other Christmas Gift Ideas….

“Gfts for the Outdoor Chef” BBQ’s in all shapes and sizes.

1950s vintage catalog. A 1957 Sears Christmas book featuring Gifts for the outdoor chef. Catalog page of BBQ's and BBq accessories.

Figures skates, hockey skates and an ice rink for you backyard, all thanks to Sears.

1950s christmas catalog from Sears 1957 Christmas Book showcasing a catalog page for figure skates and hockey skates and an ice rink you can buy

“World Globes…for all ages, all budgets. Worlds of fun and knowledge.”

1950s christmas catalog from Sears 1957 Christmas Book showcasing a catalog page for maps and globes and rugged steel cabinets

“Hard Candies…a Christmas Tradition!” These were always set out at my house (especially my grandparents home).

1950s christmas catalog from Sears 1957 Christmas Book showcasing a catalog page for hard candies a christmas tradition

My final catalog page is a page full of Fruit Cake (Not my favourite at all!).

1950s christmas catalog from Sears 1957 Christmas Book showcasing a catalog page for Country Inn Fruit Cake

I hope you enjoyed taking a browse of this very detailed (425 pages) Sears Christmas Book. I had a blast putting together for you (and really wanted that time machine to snag some gifts for myself). Share in the comments section what you favourite pages were.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays Friends!

Liz

Tag: christmas

Christmas Lights Advertising 1940s-1960s

Vintage Christmas Light Advertising 1940s-1960s

A Look Inside A 1957 Sears Christmas Book

Look Inside A 1957 Sears Christmas Book